The Australian Vegetarian Society (NSW) is a not-for-profit association incorporated under the NSW Office of Fair Trading (Inc. No. Y1466322) since 1992 and is registered with the Australian Business Register (ABN 11 605 533 718).

The Society's aim is to increase the number of vegetarians in Australia in order to stop cruelty to animals, benefit human health, protect the environment and preserve world food and water resources. The society is a non profit-making, non-sectarian organisation dedicated to campaigning, education, information and research.

The Society was originally formed in the late nineteenth century to spread the principles and benefits of vegetarianism and the ideal of a humanitarian way of life. Since its inception, the Society has played a major role in promoting vegetarianism throughout Australia by organising public meetings, lectures, films and videos as well as publishing and distributing literature.

We publish a variety of literature which covers the main aspects of vegetarianism, provide an information service for those seeking nutritional advice and/or information on vegetarian products, restaurants, caterers, cooking classes and recipes. It also acts as a portal to the media on vegetarian issues.

The Society liaises with conservation and consumer groups, both to further its own aims and to support campaigns with similar interests. It also maintains close contact with vegetarian societies abroad and is a member of the International Vegetarian Union.

Our definition of a vegetarian is a person who eats foods which are free from any ingredients derived from the slaughter of animals (including chicken and fish). The Society holds that, while other animal products not directly involving slaughter may be used, people should seek to use more humane alternatives - such as free range eggs and animal rennet-free cheeses - but, ideally, to use non-animal alternatives such as soya and rice milks, non-dairy spreads, ice cream alternatives, and so on.